October 8, 2009

It is funny that most of the conservative posters here seem to blithely wave off all of the vile quotes that Sullivan links to but if I write "Althouse Hillbillies" many of these same right wing Jethros get all lathered up about THAT!

Now I want an "Althouse Hillbilly" t-shirt.

Professor Althouse deleted me once. ...

My Dad always told us we was from the hills. Now I want an "Althouse Hillbilly" t-shirt.

I suggest you solicit designs from the usual suspects, hold a fair election, and go into business. Draw up a legal contract splitting the IP rights, and teach the blogosphere how to run an online busines.

No Lee we don't get lathered up, by you anyway, but we do enjoy your comments. You don't get it and everytime you type out something, it shows how easily you can get suckered and how little sense of humor you have.

Oh, and one more thing, may I suggest that the t-shirts have a washed out look. I think they call it "heathered" at LL Bean. Some may think of it as colors that have been dusted. For example, heather blue, heather green or dusty red or dusty purple.

The deletecd at Althouse will be rarer. But the problem with those would then be that some of the commenters might go out to their way(s) to get deleted, which would definitely affect the quality of the comments, not to mention pressure the Blogessor.

Lots of fun ideas, actually. Cafe Press here we come ... get whoever said they'd help on board.

But wait!!! The most superb Althouse shirt would be a Chip shirt with a pop up!! I want one of those!

I proposed a large "YOU!!!" on the front to serve as the pared down version of "and You, a Law Professor".

It would also cover the tone of the accusations, finger pointing, and immature name calling often offered up as commentary.

The addition of "and I" on the back would add the missing relational element and perspective necessary for healthy conversation and comment.

It's not funny, but it would reflect the style of conversation used to attack rather than convey, illumine, share or give someone pause for thought.

Hiding behind every accusatory "YOU!!!" is an "I" --most likely a small agnry "i" defending a personal opinion or feeling they are afraid to directly and openly express.

"i" know, because I frequently feel wary myself, slowly learning to add and express the "and I" part, often at the end of the comments. While it takes me a while to find my thought and express it, it also feels safer to chime in when the the heat is off.

For me, the phrase "You!!! and I" expresses the essence of this blog, where a private relational exchange of opinion between reader and writer is allowed and invited to take place in a semi-public arena.